Blog Archives

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!! We hope you enjoy celebrating with friends and family. Here are a few reminders to keep your dog safe while he joins in all the fun.

Keep alcoholic beverages out of paws reach. Alcohol is potentially poisonous to pets, so make sure your pet does not accidentally consume any wine, beer or spirits.

Stay on regular diet & resist those pleading eyes. Although it may be tempting to throw your dogs licking chops some picnic fare, we advise that you resist the urge. Just say “No” to those angelic, begging eyes! Any change in your dog’s diet can result in an upset stomach. Certain foods like onions, avocado, chocolate, grapes and raisins are especially toxic to pets.

Sunscreen: Be sure to only apply dog specific bug repellents and sunscreen for pets onto your Schnauzer. Never use human insect repellent or sunscreen on your dog. Ingestion can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy.

Keep your dog away from flames and fire products: Fido should stay clear of matches, candles & lighter fluid. Keep your pet away from matches, citronella candles and lighter fluid, which if eaten can irritate the stomach, the lungs and central nervous system. Before you light that hot grill make sure your four legged family member is out of harms way.

Supervise pool time. Never leave kids or pets unsupervised around a pool or lake. Like humans not all dogs are expert swimmers. Also, pools aren’t large water bowls, they contain chlorine and other toxic chemicals that can cause stomach upset.

Carry ID. If traveling with your pet, take identification for them and their health records. Make sure they are wearing their collar & tags at all times, in the event that become lost.

Never leave pet in hot car… at ANY time! Your pet is just as susceptible to dying of a heatstroke when the mercury rises. It only takes a few minutes for the inside of your car to get excessively hot and turn into a sauna.

Provide plenty of water. Always make sure your pet has plenty of fresh water no matter where you are.

Be prepared rain or shine. Make sure your pet has a comfortable place to get out of the sun, rain, or other types of weather.

Provide pet with a safe & quiet place to rest. Not only is it important to make sure your guest are relaxed and comfortable, you should also do so for your pet. Remember Memorial day can be quite stressful & noisy on your pet so it is important to provide with a place of refuge to rest their head and get away from the crowd. Because no loving pet owner wants a startled dog or cat running away, bolting for the doggy door or jumping the fence.

Keep gates and fences closed and save yourself some heartbreak. Memorial Day is a high traffic holiday with so many people heading out for a cookout. When the kids are playing in the yard, please remind them to keep the gate closed at all times if the dog has access to a fenced-in area. This will ensure that your pet does not run into oncoming traffic or a busy street and get struck.

As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous from the picnic table or elsewhere, please contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at (888) 426-4435.

Dogs tend to love spring because they get to spend more time outdoors. After being cooped up during the winter it is a joy for them to be able to take advantage of the lengthening and warming days to release all of their pent up winter energy. It is equally joyful for us watching our dogs have a good time. However the warmer days bring about certain health concerns so take a moment and make sure your dog is fully prepared for spring.

Depending on where you live mosquitoes start becoming more active. Generally heartworm preventative medication should be given year round to prevent infection because mosquitoes thrive year round in many parts of the country and as our climate continues to warm mosquitoes tend to stay active longer each year. Despite this some pet owners do not give heartworm preventatives in the winter so spring is a good time of year to make sure your dog has been checked for heartworm and is current on his heartworm preventative medication. The cost of heartworm preventative medication is a bargain when compared to how much it costs to treat heartworm disease.

In addition to mosquitoes, ticks and fleas become more prevalent as well. There are a variety of products available to combat these nuisances, so ask your veterinarian which one is best for your dog. Start early as preventing ticks and fleas from becoming a problem is far easier than dealing with a major flea infestation and get into the habit of regularly checking your dog for ticks. Ticks are typically found around the head, on the ears, neck, chest and forelegs although they can be found anywhere. Usually it is easier to find them by feeling for them instead of looking depending on how long your dog’s coat is.

Spring is a good time to check and make sure your dog’s vaccinations are up to date. Dog to dog contact increases in the spring and continues on into the summer months. Your dog is exposed to more infectious diseases during this time of year. For example many veterinary clinics start to see increased incidence of kennel cough in the spring because of increasing dog-to-dog contact.

Spring for some people means it is time to plan and start your garden. Selecting plants that are safe for dogs will go a long way in preventing toxicities from occurring. Keep in mind that some dogs can enjoy digging as much as we do so avoid planting toxic bulbs such as hyacinths, tulips, daffodils and certain lilies. Fertilizers and mulch can be toxic as well so store them in an inaccessible area like a shed when not in use and do not allow your dog in the garden area.

With spring generally comes spring cleaning. Be aware that many household cleaning products are harmful to dogs so follow instructions as posted on the label and store all chemicals out of reach when not in use.

With spring rains come spring mud, keep your dog’s feet dry and your house clean by keeping a towel near the door and perhaps in your car as well.

Spring means fun times for dogs (and humans) so pick up the leash and go for a walk or hit the dog park. You are bound to notice a little spring in your dog’s steps.